Lonely Banna Strand – lyrics and chords

The chords to The Lonley Banna Strand are presented here in the key of D major.

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The lyrics tell the true story of Sir Roger Casement who fought for Ireland against the British.

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[chordsandlyrics][D]’Twas on Good Friday [C]morning, all [D]in the [G]month of [D]May,
A German Ship was signal[Em]ling, be[C]yond there [G]in the [D]Bay,
We’ve twenty thousand rifles [Em]here all [C]ready [G]for to [D]land,
But no answering signal [C]came from the [D]lonely [G]Banna [D]Strand.
[/chordsandlyrics]

And from that time, through wildest woe,

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A motorcar was dashing through the searly morning loom
A sudden cras, and in the stream they went to meet their doom
Two Irish lads were dying just like their hopes so grand
They could not give their signal now from the lonely Banna Strand

“No signal answers from the shore”, Sir Roger sadly said
“No comrades here to welcome me, alas, they must be dead
But I must do my duty and at once I mean to land”
So in a boat he pulled ahsore on the lovely Banna Strand

The German ship was lying there with rifles in galore
Up came a British ship and spoke ‘No Germans reache the shore
You are our Empire’s enemy and so we bid you stand
No German foot shall e’er pollute the lonely Banna Strand.’

They sailed for Queenstown harbour, said the Germans ‘We’re undone,
The British they’re our masters man for man and gun for gun,
We’ve twenty thousand rifles here but they never will reach the land
We’ll sink them all and bid farewell to lonely Banna Strand.’

The R.I.C. were hunting for Sir Roger high and low,
They found him at McKenna’s Fort, they said they: “You are our foe”
Said he: “I’m Roger Casement I came to my native land
I meant to free my countrymen on the lonely Banna Strand

They took Sir Roger prisoner, and sailed for London town
And in the Tower they laid him as a traitor to the Crown
Said he “I am no traitor” but his trial he had to stand
For bringing German rifles to the lonely Banna Strand

‘Twas in an English prison that they led him to his death
“I’m dying for my country” he said with his last breath
He’s buried in a prison yard far from his native land
Tthe wild waves sing his Requiem on the lonely Banna Strand

(This verse was added later)

They took Sir Roger home again in the year of ’65,
And with his comrades of ’16 in peace and tranquil lies,
His last fond wish, it is fulfilled for to lie in his native land,
And the waves will roll in peace again on the lonely Banna Strand.

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Lonely Banna Strand print version

[D]’Twas on Good Friday [C]morning, all [D]in the [G]month of [D]May,
A German Ship was signal[Em]ling, be[C]yond there [G]in the [D]Bay,
We’ve twenty thousand rifles [Em]here all [C]ready [G]for to [D]land,
But no answering signal [C]came from the [D]lonely [G]Banna [D]Strand.

A motorcar was dashing through the searly morning loom
A sudden cras, and in the stream they went to meet their doom
Two Irish lads were dying just like their hopes so grand
They could not give their signal now from the lonely Banna Strand

“No signal answers from the shore”, Sir Roger sadly said
“No comrades here to welcome me, alas, they must be dead
But I must do my duty and at once I mean to land”
So in a boat he pulled ahsore on the lovely Banna Strand

The German ship was lying there with rifles in galore
Up came a British ship and spoke ‘No Germans reache the shore
You are our Empire’s enemy and so we bid you stand
No German foot shall e’er pollute the lonely Banna Strand.’

They sailed for Queenstown harbour, said the Germans ‘We’re undone,
The British they’re our masters man for man and gun for gun,
We’ve twenty thousand rifles here but they never will reach the land
We’ll sink them all and bid farewell to lonely Banna Strand.’

The R.I.C. were hunting for Sir Roger high and low,
They found him at McKenna’s Fort, they said they: “You are our foe”
Said he: “I’m Roger Casement I came to my native land
I meant to free my countrymen on the lonely Banna Strand

They took Sir Roger prisoner, and sailed for London town
And in the Tower they laid him as a traitor to the Crown
Said he “I am no traitor” but his trial he had to stand
For bringing German rifles to the lonely Banna Strand

‘Twas in an English prison that they led him to his death
“I’m dying for my country” he said with his last breath
He’s buried in a prison yard far from his native land
Tthe wild waves sing his Requiem on the lonely Banna Strand

(This verse was added later)

They took Sir Roger home again in the year of ’65,
And with his comrades of ’16 in peace and tranquil lies,
His last fond wish, it is fulfilled for to lie in his native land,
And the waves will roll in peace again on the lonely Banna Strand.

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